1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for development of a control process for an instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
Instruments for the analysis of biological samples are common in today's laboratory environment. One example of such a system is produced by the Biacore Company in Uppsala, Sweden, (website: http://www.biacore.com) for the analysis of small molecule binding techniques in real time. This is carried out using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)—based biosensor technology. These systems are used in the drug discovery industry, life science research as well as in food analysis. Such instruments are supplied with software to control their functions and to analyze the results generated.
European Patent Application No. EP-A-1 061 372 (Hitachi) illustrates another example of an apparatus for the analysis of biological samples. The apparatus described in this patent application comprises an analysis module with a plurality of measurement channels including reaction containers. A data processing means is provided which produces calibration information and quality control information for the measurement channels. The apparatus does not, however, disclose any means by which the method of analysis of the biological samples can be altered by the user of the instrument.
Another apparatus for the analysis of a biological sample is a mass spectrometer such as that disclosed in PCT Application No. WO 02/086794 (Sequenom). The apparatus of this patent application includes a system for acquisition and analysis of the data. The apparatus provides a method by which the apparatus can be adjusted after collection and comparison of the data with certain pre-defined data criteria. The apparatus does not, however, provide any means by which the method of analysis of the biological sample can be altered or programmed by a developer for the user of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,588 (assigned to Thermo Bio Analysis Corp) teaches a system and method for handling laboratory information with a graphical user interface (GUI) with a plurality of windows. The GUI and a user input allow a sequence of tasks to be defined which a processor executes in turn.
The system in the Thermo Bio Analysis Corp patent relies on the concept of a workflow which defines the events to be carried out on a sample. The user can build up a macroscopic workflow using graphical tools which correspond to workflow nodes.
Certain ones of the workflow nodes can support so-called “events”. These events may be pre-defined events or user-defined events and are stored in a table associated with each node. When the workflow is processed, the system reads the relevant table and creates an object of the type specified in the table. It appears from the description that these objects could be instructions to perform certain tasks (an example given in the description is splitting of the aliquots).
The user of the system described in the Thermo Bio Analysis Corp. patent builds up a workflow to manage a laboratory instrument from a variety of different commands (objects). Some of these commands control the operation of the instrument, but the purpose of the commands must be programmed in by the user.
U.S. Pat. No 5,369,566 (assigned to Beckmann Instruments) also relates to a programmable controller for a laboratory workstation. The user builds up a so-called “Method” to perform an assay. The Method is made of “Procedures” which in turn are built up as “Functions”. A Function is built up from a template. The Functions, having been created, may be stored for later use in the same Procedure or a different one. The Function is created by the operating system by the user answering a series of questions.
International Patent Application No WO-A-03/102854 (assigned to Applera) teaches a system and method for control and monitoring of a number of biological instruments. The invention implements a control and communications system for a laboratory having at least one sample analyzer and a data processor (page 2, lines 30-31). The sample analyzer receives commands selected from at least one pre-set list of commands from the control system and translates the commands into a format to run the sample analyzer (page 3, lines 2-3).